Visionary
by Tarlonniel
Summary: Hogan comes up with a typically outrageous lie to get a man out of the cooler, Schultz gets curious and Carter decides he might as well run with it. Cue sweet Sioux storytime in Barracks 2.
1. Chapter 1

Carter wasn't sure who'd come up with the name "cooler" for this place, but it sure fit. The cells always seemed to be at least a few degrees cooler than anywhere else in camp (besides the tunnels, of course). In summer that wasn't such a bad thing, but on a stormy evening in late October? Not so much. The occasional bursts of rain coming in through the little window didn't help. Finally, over the gusting of the wind, he heard the front door open and got to his feet to peer out through the bars. Down the narrow corridor came Schultz and Col. Hogan and, as far as he could make out, they seemed to be the bearers of good news.

"Hi, colonel. Hi, Schultz," he said hopefully as they drew abreast.

"Hello, Carter. Schultz, would you do the honors?" Hogan gestured toward the lock and the bulky sergeant took out his set of keys.

"Carter, you should not have done it," Schultz said reproachfully. "The commandant was _ve_-_ry_ _an_-_gry_. And anyway, who can have good dreams when there is thunder and lightning all the time?"

"Dreams?" Carter shot his commanding officer a confused look, wondering what outlandish story he'd fed the krauts this time.

"_Visions_, Schultz," Hogan offered in correction. "It was a _vision_ quest. And Carter's vision about the railroad came true, you know. It's just too bad you guys heard about it a little too late to do anything."

Schultz shrugged. "Visions. Dreams. Either way, to go sit out in a storm for two days, not eating anything – all I would be able to think about is warm food and dry clothes."

"That's pretty much all you think about anyway, isn't it, Schultz? At least the food part."

"Oh, ha ha." Schultz gave Hogan a wry glance as Carter slipped out of the cell. "It's not true," he continued, a touch of mischief creeping into his voice. "I think about women, too." They all chuckled at that as he swung the cell door shut again.

"Actually, Carter was lucky. Sometimes it takes more than just two days – right?" Hogan prodded, sensing that the younger man had started to catch on.

"Oh. Oh yeah, sure. I guess." Carter was almost there. "Sometimes... sometimes four days. And nights too. In a way, I got lucky. You should be glad." Schultz just shook his head.

"All for a vision about a railroad blowing up. All that trouble. Couldn't you at least have had a vision about some _nice _thing?"

"It seemed pretty nice to me," Carter replied with a grin. Two solid days of work in the tunnels to get those explosives exactly right had definitely paid off.

"How could you even think with all of the rain and the thunder and the lightning?" Schultz wondered as he turned back to lock the cooler door behind them.

"Oh, well... actually, they're a good thing. A very good thing."

"A good thing?"

"Sure. It means the thunderbirds are testing you to see whether you deserve a really good vision or not."

"Th... thunder... birds?" Schultz stared at him in mixed confusion and fascination as they started off across the compound towards the barracks. "Thunderbirds, what is that?"

"They're these really big... bird... things. Lightning shoots out of their eyes, and when they beat their wings, it makes the thunder. And the wind," Carter added, pulling his flying jacket a bit tighter about him as the weather hit them full force.

"_Ja_?" Schultz was definitely interested now. "Even here in Germany?"

"Sure. I mean, they say they used to live on some mountain in the Black Hills, but when the white men moved in the thunderbirds moved out. To the ends of the earth, I think it was. And from there I guess they could fly just about anywhere."

"And they flew all the way here to Germany to tell you about a train?"

"Well, no, of course not. Not just about a train." Carter was really starting to get caught up in the lie now, much to Hogan's amusement.

"No? What else did they say?" Schultz pressed eagerly.

"Well..." Carter hesitated as they got to the door of the barracks. "I'm not sure I should tell you. It's sort of a sacred thing, you know."

"Oh, please, Carter, please." The young man laughed. Schultz's fascination with Indians was ignorant and childish, but at least it was genuine, and a little flattering too; much better than the teasing he usually got on the subject from his fellow prisoners.

"All right. Come on." He pushed the door open and the trio walked inside where they were greeted by a chorus of "hello"s in various colorful accents.


	2. Chapter 2

"No poker game tonight, Schultzie, sorry," Newkirk said, noting the searching, hungry look that came over the bulky guard's face as he made his way to the wooden table where the Englishman sat smoking and playing solitaire.

"No strudel either," LeBeau added from where he stood at the stove, nursing a pot of something-or-other.

"Ah, too bad," Schultz replied, easing his bulk down onto the bench facing Carter's bunk. Carter settled himself cheerfully on said bunk with his back against one of the supports, very glad to be warm and back among his friends again.

"If it's not food, it must be gossip," Kinch put in from his own bunk.

"No. Not that either." Schultz rested his rifle against the table and looked at Carter expectantly. "It is visions."

"Visions?" The other men echoed, glancing over at Hogan, who made a quick gesture that meant "just go with it."

"Yeah." Carter glanced over at Schultz. "Where was I?"

"The... the thunderbirds." It was a new word so Schultz said it carefully.

"The _what_?" Newkirk repeated in disbelief.

"Thunderbirds," Carter said firmly, giving Newkirk a slightly defiant look. "That's right, Schultz."

Newkirk looked like he was about to accuse both men of being out of their minds but Hogan, who'd taken a seat nearby after deciding he might as well stay to hear how this turned out, shushed him with a look.

"And that they told you something. Other than about the railroad," Schultz continued.

"Right. Okay." Carter paused for a moment as he pulled up some old, old memories. "So, about thunderbirds. First: they make storms with their eyes and wings and stuff. Second: they test people who are trying to get visions – they're the guardians of truth and so it's their job to make sure people on vision quests are worthy of receiving a vision. Third: sometimes they go out and fight these snakes that live in rivers and lakes and streams. Really big, e_vil_ snakes, with horns and spiked tails. They're called, uh... Unktehila. Horned serpents. And they hate humans; if it wasn't for the thunderbirds, the serpents would kill every human on earth. In fact, one day the serpents got together with all their friends and decided they should work together and do just that – kill _all_ humans. Not only humans, either, but the thunderbirds too, once and for all. They knew that with men _and_ thunderbirds gone, the serpents could control everything and truth would vanish from the earth. So there was a great, huge battle. I guess it sounded just like what's been going on outside lately." Carter pointed toward the wall of the barracks, beyond which the rain and wind had been in a constant uproar for days. "And the thunderbirds were really in big trouble for awhile."

"_Ja_? And what happened?" By this time everyone in the barracks was listening with varying degrees of amusement and disbelief.

"Well... okay." Carter sat forward a little and began gesturing with his hands. "See, normally, when the serpents attacked, the men would fight back on the ground while the thunderbirds would fly up in the air and use their lightning to drive the serpents off. This time, though, the serpents were clever. They didn't leave their rivers and lakes and streams, they stayed down inside them and began to puff themselves up, larger and larger, until all the water overflowed and began to cause floods. That drove the humans back to the high ground. And then, at the same time, the serpents made an alliance with... with the _Double-Faces_." Carter said the name so menacingly that Schultz actually drew back a little.

"The... the Double-Faces?" he asked apprehensively. "What are they?"

"They're terrible, evil monsters. They look just like men from far away, but they have two faces, one on each side of their heads, and their elbows are sharp like razor blades. If you happen to look at their second face and meet their eyes... you fall over, dead. If you're _lucky_. If you're _not_ lucky, you're just frozen in place, so scared you can't move a muscle, and the Double-Face comes over and _stabs_ you to death." Carter shuddered a little. "Sometimes the Double-Face eats you afterward, but mostly they just kill because they like it. They _like_ killing things. Especially women and children and people who are old or sick, and sometimes, after they kill them... well, they just... do awful things."

Schultz had gone a little pale. "Carter, you... you are making it up, right? They are not real, these things?"

Carter looked at him and, just for a moment, the telling-ghost-stories-round-the-campfire feeling vanished; a shadow passed across the room and over his youthful face. "Aren't they?" he asked, quietly. But the seriousness passed almost immediately and he continued as if nothing had happened.


	3. Chapter 3

"With all the trouble the Double-Faces caused, the men couldn't get close enough to attack the serpents, so the waters kept rising. The thunderbirds saw what was happening and started to fly off to shoot down their lightning, but they found they couldn't move. The serpents had coaxed Iktomi, which means "spider," onto their side. Iktomi is very selfish and very deceitful, but he's also very clever. He'd crept up quietly on the thunderbirds and thrown nets over their wings. They got so tangled up in the nets that they couldn't fly; they tried to tear the nets with their strong claws and teeth, but the cords were thin and strong, like spider's web, and when they finally managed to make little holes Iktomi would come and fix them in a moment. The thunderbirds tried calling for the humans to come and help, but the Double-Faces and the floods kept them away.

"Finally the thunderbirds held a meeting to discuss what should be done, and the Great Thunderbird of the West, the oldest and most powerful of them all, spoke up. He said, 'We must seek the help of the only creature who is as clever as Iktomi. We must send for Coyote.'" Carter's eyes flicked toward Col. Hogan and began to twinkle slyly. "Now Coyote, you understand, isn't a bad guy. He just tends to get into trouble because he can't resist playing tricks on people or making up stories or chasing pretty women. And lots of times people who hang around him find themselves getting caught up in his schemes, whether they like it or not... but he really is a good guy, in the end. So when the thunderbirds asked for his help, he agreed, on one condition – that they would send some other animals along to help. And they agreed."

As Carter continued his voice began to develop a sort of sing-song quality, as if he was reciting an old, familiar poem. "Then the greatest one, the Lord of the West, first and foremost of the thunderbirds, whose color is black, spoke and said, 'I will send with you whichever of these you choose.' He showed Coyote a great gathering of wolves and dogs and other beasts of that kind. But Coyote passed the fierce ones by and chose instead a tan fox who sat quietly to one side, watching all that passed. 'For,' Coyote said, 'everyone knows that Fox is wise and helpful, and that he despises carelessness and arrogance. He will help me to keep my feet on the right trail if I begin to stray.'" Carter's eyes rested momentarily on Kinch as they roved across the intent faces before him, then continued on.

"Then the Lord of the North, of water and cold, whose color is blue, spoke and said, 'I will send with you whichever of these you choose.' He showed Coyote a great gathering of bears and badgers and other beasts of that kind. But Coyote passed the strong ones by and chose instead a raccoon, whose cunning eyes shone bright in their black mask. 'For,' Coyote said, 'everyone knows that Raccoon is quick of mind and hand alike, even in the face of danger. He will help me to find and follow new trails when the trail I have chosen fades away.'

"Then the Lord of the South, of fire and life, whose color is red, spoke and said, 'I will send with you whichever of these you choose.' He showed Coyote a great gathering of eagles and hawks and other birds of that kind. But Coyote passed the fearsome ones by and chose instead a sweet-voiced meadowlark, who stood forward proud and unafraid at the call. 'For,' Coyote said, 'everyone knows that Meadowlark is the truest and most loyal of friends, and will gladly face any danger for the thing he loves. He will give my heart strength and courage if it should begin to fail within me.'

"Then the Lord of the East, of sunshine and gladness, whose color is yellow, spoke and said, 'I will send with you whichever of these you choose.' He showed Coyote a great gathering of buffalo and horses and other beasts of that kind. But Coyote passed the large ones by and chose instead a small gray rabbit who sat wide-eyed and curious among the long grasses. 'For,' Coyote said, 'everyone knows that Rabbit is kind as well as clever, and though often in trouble, is quick to get out of it again. He will help keep our hearts as light as his heels.'" A little laughter from the audience followed this last one and Carter hurried on, blushing slightly.


	4. Chapter 4

"With the companions chosen, Coyote set out at last to find Iktomi. They searched far and wide, over mountains and plains, lakes and seas, until they came upon his track. Then Coyote set his plan in motion. He knew that Iktomi would be hungry, as most people were then because of all the floods and monsters covering the lands, so he approached alone and pretending friendship. 'Come,' said Coyote, 'I know a place where there is good hunting, but I have grown weak from lack of food and need a companion to help me in the hunt. You will get an equal share of all we kill.' This seemed good to Iktomi so he came and followed Coyote. As they went along, suddenly Rabbit started from the long grass and ran ahead of them. Eagerly Iktomi gave chase, but no matter how fast he ran, Rabbit ran a little faster. Coyote was swifter of foot than Iktomi but pretended to be weak and slow so that Rabbit continued to lead them a merry chase, always just out of reach. At last they came to a lake, around the edge of which ran Rabbit. Iktomi was so intent on Rabbit that he did not notice Meadowlark rise from the trees nearby and fly across to the woods on the further shore. As they came close to those woods Rabbit suddenly gave a great leap and disappeared; Iktomi and Coyote began searching for him and in a short time they came upon a clearing near the lake shore where Raccoon sat sharpening a knife, with Rabbit tied to a tree nearby.

"'What is this?' said Iktomi crossly. 'We chase Rabbit until he runs, half dead already, right into you, and then you claim him as your prize? Give us our fair share or we will kill you and take all for ourselves.'

"'Pardon, great Iktomi, and you, worthy Coyote,' said Raccoon with great politeness. 'Rabbit is always running somewhere; I did not know he was being tracked. I will certainly give you a fair share. I only ask that you go down to the lake and wash your hands before we eat him. As you know, my people are very particular about such things.'

"Iktomi grumbled at this but Coyote managed to lead him away with honeyed words. They washed their hands in the water; afterward Coyote lingered at the lake shore, keeping Iktomi there as long as he could, but eventually Iktomi left and returned to the place where Raccoon had been. But no one was there. Raccoon and Rabbit had both vanished without a trace. Iktomi screamed and cursed and wandered about looking for tracks, but there were none. He knew they could not have gotten far, so he kept looking until Coyote began calling frantically to him from the lake's edge.

"'Iktomi! See, see here!' said Coyote. 'They are taunting us!' Iktomi came running up and saw that Coyote was pointing down into the lake where, sure enough, Iktomi could see Raccoon, Rabbit and Meadowlark pointing up at him and laughing. He became furious.

"'Just wait. I will get them,' said Iktomi, and he dived into the lake, but came up empty handed. Again and again he tried, but could not reach them. As he was standing there, wet and fuming, he suddenly heard Fox's voice behind him.

"'If you are hot, friend Iktomi, it would make more sense to stay in the water rather than to jump in and out of it so quickly.'

"'Ah, our wise friend,' said Iktomi, 'how fortunate that you came along to advise us. How can we dive deep enough to get those rude fellows out of the lake?'

"Fox looked down into the water and pondered the problem thoughtfully. 'What you must do,' he said at last, 'is find a large stone and some rope, and tie the stone securely to yourself. Then you will be able to dive to the bottom and grab them and Coyote and I will pull you up.'

"Iktomi was much taken with this sage advice and they followed it to the letter. Coyote and Fox made sure that the stone was very large and the rope was very secure on both ends. Iktomi then leaped boldly into the water. Quickly, Coyote and Fox tossed the end of the rope in after him. Raccoon, Meadowlark and Rabbit – with Meadowlark's assistance – soon descended from the tall tree in which they had been sitting so that their reflection would fall in the water, and they all returned to free the thunderbirds from Iktomi's nets.

"Soon the serpents and the Double-Faces found themselves assaulted by the rain and fire, lightning and thunder, claws, beaks and sharp teeth of the thunderbirds, who fly, formless and unseen, in their robes of dark clouds. The earth trembled and night turned to day because of the lightning flashes. The flood waters boiled and then dried up; the monsters, big and small, burned up and died. And mankind came down from the high places to live in peace again."


	5. Chapter 5

Carter fell silent and looked around the room for a moment, then smiled slyly at Schultz. "That's what I was told in my vision. Plus the thing about the railroad. I guess maybe the railroad bit was more interesting after all, huh?"

Schultz stared at him in wonder. "It is a marvelous story. But why would they tell you such things? What does it mean?"

Carter shrugged. "Can't imagine. Doesn't make any sense to me. Uh, Schultz – ten minutes to lights out."

"Ten minutes to...? Ten minutes to... Lights out in ten minutes, everybody get ready, _macht_ _schnell!_" The POWs scattered to the four winds as Schultz leapt – well, for him it was a leap – to his feet, shouting commands that he and everyone else knew would be ignored. Hogan stood up to head for his own private quarters, but first he snagged Carter's sleeve as the young man went by.

"Uh, Carter... "

"Yes, sir?"

"Do you know any more stories about this Coyote fellow?"

"I... I think so. A few."

"Good. I'd like to hear them sometime. Maybe I can get a few pointers."

Carter grinned at him. "Yes, sir."

"Right." Hogan smiled, clapped him on the shoulder and started off across the busy room. "All right, Schultz, we hear you! _S__chnell_!"

* * *

_Mostly based on actual Sioux legends, primarily "Wakinyan Tanka, the Great Thunderbird," which is available online, and __on "The 'Wasna' (Pemmican) Man and the Unktomi (Spider)" from Marie McLaughlin's _Myths and Legends of the Sioux_, which is also available online._ _I'm going to quote the forward of that book below simply because I like the possible sidelight it throws on Carter's family history_:

"_In the "timbre" of these stories of the Sioux, told in the lodges and at the camp fires of the past, and by the firesides of the Dakotas of today, we recognize the very texture of the thought of a simple, grave, and sincere people, living in intimate contact and friendship with the big out-of-doors that we call Nature; a race not yet understanding all things, not proud and boastful, but honest and childlike and fair; a simple, sincere, and gravely thoughtful people, willing to believe that there may be in even the everyday things of life something not yet fully understood; a race that can, without any loss of native dignity, gravely consider the simplest things, seeking to fathom their meaning and to learn their lesson - equally without vain-glorious boasting and trifling cynicism; an earnest, thoughtful, dignified, but simple and primitive people."_


End file.
